A little later, when all the adults were busy greeting and talking to the Han family, the four of them quietly slipped away to the side.
Kim glanced over his shoulder to make sure no one was listening.
"Okay," he whispered, "they're distracted."
Jake nodded.
"Perfect."
Mia crossed her arms, leaning slightly closer.
"So… that's the Han family?"
Yeon let out a quiet sigh.
"Unfortunately."
All four of them instinctively glanced in the same direction.
Even from a distance, the Han family carried a certain presence—calm, composed, and just a little intimidating without even trying.
"…They look kind of…" Jake started.
"Arrogant?" Kim finished.
"Yeah. That."
Mia tilted her head slightly.
"They don't even have to say anything. It's just… there."
Yeon frowned a little, watching them.
"…He's always like that," he muttered.
Kim immediately caught on.
"Ohhh, he."
Jake smirked.
"Don't tell me this is about Jisung again."
"It's not 'again,'" Yeon said defensively. "I just don't like him."
"Sure," Kim said. "You just 'don't like' the guy you've bumped into four times in one day."
"That was not my fault."
"Very convincing."
Mia glanced between them, curious.
"Wait, what's wrong with him?"
Yeon hesitated for a second.
"…Nothing specific," he admitted. "He's just… annoying."
"Annoying?" Jake raised an eyebrow. "From what you told us, he barely even talks."
"Exactly," Yeon said, as if that proved his point.
"That makes no sense," Kim said.
"It does to me."
Jake shrugged.
"Alright then. If you don't like him…"
He exchanged a look with Kim.
"…we don't like him either."
Kim nodded solemnly.
"Mutual dislike. Friendship rules."
Mia rolled her eyes.
"You guys are ridiculous."
"But you're joining us," Jake said.
"…Maybe."
Yeon huffed slightly, but there was a hint of relief in his expression.
At least they were on his side.
Even if their reasoning made absolutely no sense.
Still—
Kim leaned in a little, lowering his voice further.
"Not gonna lie though," he added, glancing back at the Han family, "they do feel kind of… intense."
Jake nodded.
"Yeah. Like they're silently judging everyone."
Mia hummed.
"Or like they know something we don't."
Yeon crossed his arms.
"…I don't trust it."
Kim smirked.
"You don't trust him."
"…That too."
They all fell quiet for a moment, watching from a distance.
Then Jake suddenly said—
"Imagine if we have to spend the whole trip with them."
Yeon didn't even hesitate.
"I'm leaving."
"You can't."
"I'll find a way."
"You don't even know where you are."
"I'll figure it out."
Mia laughed softly.
"I kind of want to see you try."
"Wow. Betrayal," Yeon said.
Kim grinned.
"No, no. This is going to be fun."
Yeon gave him a flat look.
"…For you."
"Exactly."
And just like that—
Their "peaceful" trip had officially turned into something far more complicated.
They all fell quiet for a moment, still half-watching the Han family from a distance.
Then Jake leaned in again, lowering his voice even more.
"Still," he whispered, "that Jisung guy… he definitely looks like the type who knows he's better than everyone."
Kim nodded.
"Yeah. Like those main character types who walk around like the world revolves around them."
Yeon scoffed quietly.
"Exactly."
Mia tilted her head.
"I don't know… he didn't seem that bad."
"That's because you don't know him," Yeon said quickly. "He's just—"
"Just what?"
The voice came from behind them.
All four of them froze.
Slowly—
Very slowly—
They turned around.
And there he was.
Han Jisung.
Standing just a few steps away.
Close enough.
Way too close.
Silence.
Complete, painful silence.
Kim blinked.
Jake stopped breathing.
Mia looked between them.
Yeon's brain shut down.
"…Hi," Jisung said calmly.
"…Hi," Jake replied automatically.
Yeon wanted to disappear.
He heard that.
He definitely heard that.
I'm going to move countries.
Jisung's gaze shifted, landing on Yeon.
There was no obvious anger in his expression.
If anything—
He looked… amused.
"…Main character?" Jisung said lightly.
Yeon internally died.
"I—uh—" he started.
"World revolves around me?" Jisung continued.
Kim slowly stepped back.
"I was never here."
Jake nodded.
"Same."
"Traitors," Yeon whispered.
Mia covered her mouth, trying not to laugh.
Yeon forced himself to speak.
"…You weren't supposed to hear that."
"Clearly," Jisung replied.
There was a brief pause.
Then, unexpectedly—
He let out a small breath that almost sounded like a laugh.
"…For the record," he added, "I don't think the world revolves around me."
"…Oh," Yeon said.
"…Good to know," Jake added.
Kim nodded quickly.
"Very reassuring."
Another pause.
Awkward.
Heavy.
Jisung glanced at the group again, then back at Yeon.
"…You don't like me," he said, not as a question—but as a simple observation.
Yeon froze.
"…It's not—"
"It's fine," Jisung said, cutting him off calmly. "You don't have to explain."
That somehow made it worse.
Way worse.
Yeon frowned slightly.
"…You're not even going to argue?"
Jisung raised an eyebrow.
"Should I?"
"I mean—no, but—yes—no—I don't know," Yeon said, immediately losing track of his own point.
Kim whispered to Jake,
"He's malfunctioning again."
"System error," Jake whispered back.
"I can hear you," Yeon snapped quietly.
Jisung's lips twitched slightly, like he was holding back a smile.
"…Relax," he said. "I've heard worse."
That made Yeon pause.
"…You have?"
"Much worse."
Something in his tone was light—but there was something else underneath it. Something quieter.
Yeon didn't fully understand it.
But it made him hesitate.
"…Still," Yeon muttered, looking away slightly, "we weren't supposed to be that loud."
"That's true," Jisung said.
Another pause.
Then Jisung glanced back toward where the adults were.
"…They're probably looking for us," he said.
"Right," Kim said quickly.
"Yes. Adults. Very important," Jake added.
Jisung nodded slightly, then turned to leave—
But paused for a second.
"…And for the record," he added without looking back, "if I were the main character…"
A small pause.
"…I'd have better luck than this."
Then he walked off.
Silence.
The moment he was out of earshot—
Kim grabbed Yeon's shoulders.
"YOU JUST GOT CAUGHT TALKING ABOUT HIM."
"I KNOW."
Jake looked impressed.
"That went better than expected."
Mia laughed softly.
"He didn't even get mad."
Yeon exhaled slowly, still staring in the direction Jisung had gone.
"…Yeah."
A pause.
"…That's what's weird."
Because instead of anger—
Jisung had looked calm.
Almost… understanding.
And somehow—
That made Yeon feel worse.